Natural Hazards
Midterm Exam
Course Introduction
This course explores the scientific principles, causes, and impacts of natural hazards such as earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, hurricanes, and landslides. Students will examine how these events develop, their effects on human societies and natural environments, and methods for risk assessment and mitigation. Through case studies and analysis of recent disasters, the course aims to enhance understanding of hazard prediction, preparedness, and response strategies to reduce vulnerability and enhance resilience to natural threats.
Recommended Textbook
Keller Natural Hazards 3rd Canadian Edition by Edward A. Keller
Available Study Resources on Quizplus
15 Chapters
1580 Verified Questions
1580 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/study-set/900 Page 2
Chapter 1: Introduction to Natural Hazards
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
91 Verified Questions
91 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/17741
Sample Questions
Q1) Discuss problems associated with issuing warnings to the public regarding impending natural hazards.
Answer: If warnings are issued but the predicted hazard fails to occur,people may incur economic losses,unnecessary apprehension,and experience unnecessary evacuations.If too many "false alarms" are issued,people may become complacent and ignore future warnings.False alarms can lead people to believe that the science of hazards is useless.
Q2) Which of the following is NOT a proactive response to a natural hazard?
A) land use planning
B) reconstruction
C) insurance
D) evacuation
E) artificial controls
Answer: B
Q3) List two natural hazards that can be influenced by human activities. Answer: Forest fires.Floods.Landslides.
Q4) Every area of the globe is subject to at least one natural hazard.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 3
Chapter 2: Internal Structure of Earth and Plate Tectonics
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
72 Verified Questions
72 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/17742
Sample Questions
Q1) Tectonic plates are defined by the location of continents and oceans.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q2) Volcanic eruptions along the west coast of North America are due to
A) hotspot plume activity in the mantle.
B) divergent plate boundaries resulting in a spreading ridge.
C) collision zones that result in mountain building.
D) convergent plate boundaries where subduction occurs and generates melts.
E) transform plate boundary where plates slide past one another.
Answer: D
Q3) Which of the following is TRUE about the Mid-Atlantic Ridge?
A) It is in the middle of the ocean.
B) It is a divergent boundary where tectonic plates move apart.
C) It is a place where new lithosphere is created.
D) It is a site of deep see volcanoes and mountains.
E) All of the above are true about the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
Answer: E
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 3: Earthquakes
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
116 Verified Questions
116 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/17743
Sample Questions
Q1) Earthquake focus and epicentre are the same thing.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q2) When a building has the same natural vibration frequency as earthquake motion this causes
A) surface waves.
B) resonance.
C) refraction.
D) ground rupture.
E) faulting.
Answer: B
Q3) What is liquefaction and what causes it?
Answer: Intense shaking during an earthquake can cause water-saturated sediment to release the water turning the sediment into a soupy mix,which has no mechanical strength.Structures built on water-saturated sediment tend to collapse because their foundations lose cohesion.
Q4) List the four types of waves produced by earthquakes.
Answer: P-waves,S-waves,Rayleigh waves and Love waves.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 5
Chapter 4: Tsunamis
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
103 Verified Questions
103 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/17744
Sample Questions
Q1) The largest known run-up occurred in a local tsunami in Lituya Bay,Alaska.
A)True
B)False
Q2) What sort of engineering solutions could be used in tsunami prone areas?
Q3) Discuss the primary and secondary effects of the 2011 tsunami in Japan,and describe the estimated recovery times for both these effects.
Q4) Which of the following damage is a result of secondary effects of a tsunami?
A) outbreaks of cholera
B) the destruction of coastal vegetation
C) damage of buildings
D) loss of life
E) ruptured gas lines
Q5) Define the term secondary effects of tsunamis and give some examples.
Q6) How is it that native peoples of the Andaman Islands in the Indian Ocean escaped the 2004 tsunami?
Q7) Describe the effects of edge waves on the strength of tsunamis.
Q8) In terms of both cause and effects,what are the differences between local and distant tsunami?
Q9) What is a tsunameter?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 6
Chapter 5: Volcanoes and Volcanic Eruptions
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
110 Verified Questions
110 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/17745
Sample Questions
Q1) How can monitoring hydrologic conditions at a volcano help in volcanic eruption forecasting?
Q2) What is a large igneous province? Give a likely modern example.
Q3) Which of the following volcanic hazards has been deadliest for people?
A) lava flows
B) ash falls
C) lahars
D) volcanic bombs
E) pyroclastic flows
Q4) Mount Vesuvius overlooks which modern Italian city?
A) Rome
B) Milan
C) Venice
D) Naples
E) Turin
Q5) The eruption of Mount St.Helens was triggered by an earthquake and landslide.
A)True
B)False
Q6) What sort of magma is associated with shield volcanoes and how does this contribute to their shape?
Page 7
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 6: Landslides
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
115 Verified Questions
115 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/17746
Sample Questions
Q1) Describe how flowing water in a stream can destabilize its banks.
Q2) What is the definition of a landslide trigger?
Q3) Vegetation adds weight to a slope,which can decrease the likelihood that the slope will fail.
A)True
B)False
Q4) The Frank slide is Canada's best known landslide and a classic example of A) a rockfall.
B) a rock avalanche.
C) a debris avalanche.
D) a rockslide.
E) a debris slide.
Q5) The Hope Slide in British Columbia was a complex slide.What does that mean?
Q6) Which of the following types of landslides can occur on the seafloor,exclusive of land processes?
A) debris flow
B) rockslide
C) rockfall
D) earthcreep
E) avalanche
Page 8
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 7: Snow Avalanches
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
105 Verified Questions
105 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/17747
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following structures is designed to allow avalanches to run over a road or railway?
A) deflecting berms
B) splitting wedges
C) mounds
D) snow fences
E) avalanche sheds
Q2) Why is new snow susceptible to sliding?
Q3) The highest incidence of avalanches in Canada occurs in the Arctic.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Avalanche hazard is commonly increased
A) on slopes greater than 60 degrees.
B) on tree covered slopes.
C) on steep talus covered slopes.
D) at lower elevations.
E) on slopes with gullies or ravines.
Q5) Although sluffs move only small amounts of snow,how are they potentially dangerous?
Page 9
Q6) What is the primary force that drives an avalanche?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 8: Subsidence and Soil Expansion and Contraction
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
101 Verified Questions
101 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/17748
Sample Questions
Q1) What pH conditions are needed for dissolution of limestone?
Q2) "Karst plain" describes a ground surface that is pockmarked with many sinkholes.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Discuss possible connections between global warming and the formation of karst landscapes.
Q4) Sinkholes tens of metres in diameter can form in only a few minutes.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Why are springs in karst landscapes particularly vulnerable to contamination?
A) Natural sinkholes are commonly used as landfills.
B) Toxic metals dissolved out of limestone become concentrated in these springs.
C) Surface pollutants can easily enter and move through underground drainage systems.
D) Deep pumping of groundwater for agriculture draws pollutants from fertilizer into springs.
E) Spring water comes from stagnant underground pools where pollutants concentrate.
Q6) What is the likely trigger for most sinkhole collapse?
Q7) What is subsidence?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 10
Chapter 9: River Flooding
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
118 Verified Questions
118 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/17749
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is a secondary effect of flooding?
A) loss of life by drowning
B) damage to infrastructure
C) hunger
D) damage to crops
E) sediment deposition
Q2) An important lesson learned from the 1993 Mississippi flood was
A) levees remove land from the floodplain.
B) levees eliminate flood risk.
C) levees help the floodplain "soak up" flood waters.
D) the construction of levees produces a false sense of security.
E) levees built by farmers performed as well as government-built levees.
Q3) A downstream flood is characterised by
A) lots of flooding but little destruction.
B) a large, slow rise in discharge at a particular location.
C) a large, rapid rise in discharge at a particular location.
D) little or no warning.
E) a rapid rise in discharge at all locations.
Q4) Describe the features of an anastomosing river channel pattern.
Q5) Compare and contrast the US and Canadian approaches to managing flood hazards.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 11
Chapter 10: Atmosphere and Severe Weather
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
89 Verified Questions
89 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/17750
Sample Questions
Q1) Tornado-prone areas in Canada include southern Alberta,southern Ontario and southeastern Quebec.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Which of the following is NOT important in understanding severe weather?
A) atmospheric pressure
B) vertical stability
C) Coriolis Effect
D) fronts
E) humidity
Q3) What is freezing rain?
Q4) A thunderstorm cell is rarely higher than 1 km.
A)True
B)False
Q5) The major reason the 1998 ice storm was so devastating was
A) the lack of adequate backup systems when the power grid failed.
B) the concentration of people in vulnerable areas.
C) the lack of an adequate warning system.
D) the inability to evacuate due to poor infrastructure.
E) the interaction of the storm with a nor'easter.
Page 12
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 11: Hurricanes and Extratropical Cyclones
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
113 Verified Questions
113 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/17751
Sample Questions
Q1) The eye of the hurricane is an area of relative calm.
A)True
B)False
Q2) What is the primary difference between a tropical disturbance and a tropical depression?
A) Tropical depressions have a distinct central low pressure zone.
B) Tropical disturbances are larger.
C) Tropical disturbances have greater winds.
D) Tropical depressions are closer to the equator.
E) Tropical disturbances have higher pressures.
Q3) Hurricanes follow predictable paths,allowing the National Hurricane Center to accurately predict the location of landfall several days in advance.
A)True
B)False
Q4) What is the jet stream?
Q5) Hurricanes can generate tornadoes.
A)True
B)False
Q6) Which way does a cyclone rotate in the southern hemisphere?
Q7) Where does the energy come from to fuel hurricanes?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 13
Chapter 12: Waves, Currents, and Coastlines
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
106 Verified Questions
106 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/17752
Sample Questions
Q1) What is the difference between eustatic and relative sea level?
A) Eustatic refers to the global sea level; relative refers to local sea level near land.
B) Eustatic refers to global sea level; relative refers to sea levels with respect to mid-ocean ridges.
C) Eustatic refers to sea levels that don't change; relative refers to local sea level.
D) Eustatic refers to sea levels that are advantageous for shipping; relative sea level refers to high and low tides.
E) There is no difference between them.
Q2) Explain the differences between eustatic and relative sea level.
Q3) How can damming rivers upstream contribute to erosion problems at the shoreline?
A) Dams prevent natural flood events that would erode and reshape beaches.
B) Dams trap sediment that would otherwise supply sand to beaches.
C) Dams reduce water flow year round, allowing tidal currents to erode farther inland.
D) Dam construction weakens sea cliffs.
E) Artificial floods of water released from dams causes extreme erosion.
Q4) What is a rogue wave?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 14
Chapter 13: Wildfires
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
100 Verified Questions
100 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/17753
Sample Questions
Q1) If you were a geologist,what evidence might you find (in rocks or sediments)that would indicate that wildfires had occurred in the past?
A) fossilized pine cones
B) grass pollen
C) clay layers
D) charcoal
E) oak bark
Q2) What is the best response if you live in an area threatened by a large wind-driven crown fire?
Q3) Santa Ana winds are associated with wildfires in western Canada.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Houses on hillsides are usually safe from wildfires because the fires cannot climb hills.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Lightning strikes cause about 45 percent of the wildfires in Canada but account for about 85 percent of the total area burned.Why?
Q6) Erosion is a common consequence of wildfires.Why?
Page 15
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 14: Climate Change
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
118 Verified Questions
118 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/17754
Sample Questions
Q1) Which gas comprises most of the atmosphere?
A) oxygen
B) carbon dioxide
C) methane
D) nitrogen
E) argon
Q2) Water vapour is not a greenhouse gas.
A)True
B)False
Q3) The greenhouse effect is completely natural and necessary for human life to exist on Earth.
A)True
B)False
Q4) At present,the fastest route to ship goods from Atlantic Canada to British Columbia is through the Northwest Passage,rather than the Panama Canal.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Once glaciers retreat and melt away,they can never come back.
A)True
B)False
Page 16
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 15: Meteorite Impacts and Extinctions
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
123 Verified Questions
123 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/17755
Sample Questions
Q1) The earliest mass extinction event identified in the geologic record occurred about 446 million years ago at the end of the Ordovician Period.Which of the following situations/events coincided with this mass extinction?
A) continental glaciation
B) large scale volcanism
C) meteorite impact
D) extreme greenhouse conditions
E) major continental collisions
Q2) How could you tell the difference between an impact crater and a volcano?
Q3) Scientific acceptance of the idea that asteroids could strike Earth and wreak havoc is relatively recent.What event made this possibility become nearly universally accepted?
A) discovery of the iridium layer at the K-T boundary
B) discovery of the Chicxulub Crater
C) observation of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9's collision with Jupiter
D) discovery of Near-Earth-Objects that have Earth-crossing orbits
E) recognition of ancient eroded craters in Canada
Q4) What might cause an asteroid to leave the asteroid belt and head toward a collision with Earth?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 17